A number of U.S. Patents, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,486,359; 5,591,625; 5,736,396; 5,811,094; 5,827,740; 5,837,539; 5,908,782; 5,908,784; 5,942,225; 5,965,436; 6,010,696; 6,022,540; 6,087,113; 5,858,390; 5,804,446; 5,846,796; 5,654,186; 6,054,121; 5,827,735; 5,906,934 disclose mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), which can be differentiated into several progenitor cells, for example muscle progenitor cells, connective tissue cell progenitors or oval cells. Muscle progenitor cells differentiate further into cardiac, skeletal as well as smooth muscle cells whereas the connective tissue cell progenitor may differentiate into bone.
U.S. application Ser. No. 09/985,335 (hereby incorporated by reference), describes somatic stem cells known as unrestricted somatic stem cells (USSCs), which can be derived from human umbilical cord blood, placental blood and/or the blood from a newborn child. USSCs are distinct from but capable to differentiate into mesenchymal stem or progenitor cells, hematopoietic lineage stem or progenitor cells, neural stem or progenitor cells, or endothelial stem or liver progenitor cells. USSCs represent the progenitor of the hematopoietic lineage, the mesenchymal stem cells as well as neural stem cells. This unique multifunctional capacity and the technology to expand these cells, either as cells that remain stem cells, or as committed cells under distinct differentiation protocols, allows precise characterization, standardization and utilization of the cells for the production and implementation of stem cell therapy in regenerative medicine. (Some of the text herein describing the isolation and culture of USSCs is taken from the aforementioned PCT and U.S. applications.)